Manipulated Living
by Sarakaroline8
Summary: How does a person become so villainous like Negan? This is a back story to Negan before the apocalypse began and the stories that shaped him to being the most horrifying and formidable character in the Walking Dead universe. Prequel of Many Hearts to Tread but can be read as its own.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE – This is going to be only four chapters of a story. It is a back story to Negan and how he became what he is in the comic books. It is also a prequel to my other fanfiction (Many Hearts to Tread) so if you have read that one, you'll enjoy this one. If you haven't, then feel free to read it!**

 **Hope you enjoy this one! Obviously, a lot is unknown about Negan before the apocalypse so this just my creative juices taking a swing and coming up with my own back story. Have fun reading it and let me know what you think!**

Chapter 1

Christmas, 1969

Matthew watched the television with the volume turned up as high as it could go in his living room. He tried to tune out his parents fighting in the kitchen. The fights always seemed to be about the same thing. They yelled about it often for Matthew and his younger sister, Violet, to know that their father was unfaithful.

" _This is Gatorade! The greatest thirst quencher ever made!"_ The voice on the television said.

" _Says who?"_ Another voice asked in response. Matthew looked behind him and saw his sister fast asleep on the couch with a new Barbie doll tucked underneath her arm. He smiled at her sleeping figure and focused his gaze on the television once more.

" _Says the New York Yankees, the Minnesota Twins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Detroit Tigers, the Chicago White Sox, the Oakland Athletics. The fact is, Gatorade has become the official thirst quencher of baseball."_ The voice said as the commercial panned on men wearing the names of the jerseys that were announced. Then the camera panned to a boy that was Matthew's age. _"Oh yes, the Main String Hawks say it tastes so good it makes you glad you got thirsty. Gatorade! The big thirst quencher!"_

"She's just my assistant, Lorraine. That's all she is. She's just picking me up tonight so we can talk about business at the office." Peter said to his crying wife.

"You want me to believe that, don't you?" She asked back angrily. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"I don't know why you are bringing this up today of all days." Peter said as Matthew heard him open and slam a kitchen cabinet drawer. His father only opened the kitchen cabinets for one thing. It was for his box of cigars.

"Don't smoke one of those in here, Peter." Lorraine said bitingly. "It makes the whole house smell like an ashtray!"

"You don't tell me what to do." Peter warned. "I pay for this ashtray of a house. I can do whatever the hell I want inside my house that you didn't buy and I did. And do I ever get a thank you in return?"

There was silence in the kitchen as Matthew turned the volume of the television down as he assumed the fighting finally subsided. As soon as his hand fell off the dial, his mom spoke with more emotion than he ever heard his mother say.

"Can't I just be enough for you?" Lorraine asked.

There was more silence as his father didn't respond. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Matthew looked at the door as he heard his mother start to quietly sob. Unsure of what to do, he finally got up from sitting on the living room floor and walked to the door.

When he opened the door, he saw a beautiful woman with makeup caked on her face and her brown hair ratted and pulled up in a big bun. She smiled and looked down at him as he gawked at her pretty red dress and white fur coat on top of that.

"You must be Mr. Negan's son, Matthew." She said as she stuck her hand out in greeting. "My name is Lucille. I work for your father. God, your dad said you turned six this year. How about that?"

Matthew looked to her confused that someone that was hurting his family so much could look so beautiful to him. He wanted to cry on behalf of his mother but at the same time he couldn't fathom hating Lucille for what she was doing. He couldn't even try and dislike her. She looked like Hollywood star to him.

His dad came into view from behind him as he picked up his coat that sat on the couch next to his sleeping daughter. "Ah, Lucille. I'm sorry to take you away from your Christmas celebrations so late tonight." He said.

She shook her head as she looked him the eyes demurely. "No trouble at all." She said sweetly. Her brown eyes sparkled as she said it.

"You look pretty well dressed to be going to the office." Matthew heard his mom say who was now in the living room with her arms crossed. "How old are you, sweetie? Nineteen?" She asked.

Lucille looked to be somewhat shaken by the coarseness of Mrs. Negan's bitterness towards her but tried to play it cool. "I just came back from a party. And I will be twenty two in a couple of weeks." She said in a kind voice.

"He'll get sick of you when you start getting wrinkles." Lorraine said.

"Honey, please." Peter said with a small and awkward chuckle. "If you want to watch us conduct business at the office, you are more than welcome to join us to see I am actually telling the truth."

Lorraine looked from Lucille to Peter in frustration. Matthew knew his mother was beautiful in her own right as well but she was the total opposite of Lucille. She had short blonde hair with green eyes that could pierce anyone's soul especially when she was angry. She was older and looked to be more run down from taking care of her children and age. Matthew imagined his parents arguing all the time caused even more wrinkles to show as well as her hair graying in several spots. Some days, he would come home from baseball practice to see his mom drunk and lounging on a float in the backyard pool.

Violet started waking up on the couch as she yawned and looked around. She put her arms around herself as she shuddered from the cold with the door still being open from the outside.

"We're going to have to leave so I will be back in time to help tuck the kids in." Peter said as he put his suit jacket on followed by his coat.

"You never help tuck the kids in." Lorraine said bitterly.

"Lorraine, really." He said as he rolled his eyes and knelt down in front of Matthew. "I'm sorry I have to leave today. But business doesn't take a day off. You'll understand when you're older and have your own successful business."

Matthew nodded and looked at Lucille once more. "Will you be back to read a bedtime story to us?" He asked.

Peter shrugged. "I hope so, champ." He said as he put his hand on the top of Matthew's head and shook his hair to and fro. "Did you have a Merry Christmas?"

Matthew tried to put the fight his parents had that night behind him as he thought of opening the presents with his sister. His dad handing them each present as their mom sat on the couch looking on and staying quiet. "Yes." He answered.

Peter looked to his daughter and pointed at her Barbie doll. "Is that the one you asked Santa for?" He asked.

She smiled and held it out to him. "She's so pretty." She responded. Violet was only a year younger than he was but she still was the baby of the family. Everyone doted and adored her.

"I'm glad Santa picked the right one. There were so many dolls to choose from at the store." Peter said as he rubbed his hand to his forehead.

"Daddy! Santa's elves made her. She didn't come from the store." She said.

"Oh, you're right." Peter said. "My mistake." Matthew saw that his mother and Lucille were making eye contact with each other as they tried to read one another's mind. Lucille's eyes faltered first as she stared down at the floor with an air of sadness tinted behind it. It was in that moment he knew the truth. His father was lying.

"I'll see you all later tonight." Peter said as he gave them all one final look. "You can start Christmas dinner without me." With that, he stepped outside the house and closed the door behind him.

Silence followed with an underlying tension amongst them. Violet looked to her mom who was shaking. "Are you okay, Mommy?" She asked.

Lorraine looked at her two children and put a fake smile on her face. "You heard your father. If he said we can start dinner without him, than perhaps we should." She said. "We can still have a good dinner without him."

Matthew and Violet looked to each other as their mother walked back into the kitchen without waiting for them to follow. They eventually did and tried to forget about the moments before when there was so much stress having Lucille in close proximity to them. They enjoyed each other's company the most when their father wasn't around. His mom was happier when he was away. After dinner, they sang Christmas carols by the piano as their mom played. They formed a little bubble around themselves and forgot about the rest of the world.

Some days, Matthew would think about what life would be like if everyone was forced to do what he wanted for once. So many things happened beyond his control and he wanted things to go his way. He wanted his parents to be happy and he wanted his dad to stop making excuses and finally go to his baseball games on the weekend and not be busy at work.

For once, he wanted to call the shots so everyone would be happier.


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE – This chapter is dedicated to BlueEyedPisces & ashleyziur. Thanks so much for encouraging me to write another chapter in this prequel!**

Chapter 2

April 1980

"Matthew David Negan, please sit at the stand." The judge said as he sorted through various papers on his desk. Matthew straightened his tie as he walked to the stand next to the judge. His palms were sweating as he looked warily towards the jury hoping they wouldn't be too harsh and maybe find him innocent.

A man stood next to him with a bible in hand. Matthew looked to his lawyer who nodded as he put his hand on the bible. "Do you sweat to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" He asked.

"I do." Matthew said and sat in his seat next to the judge. He smoothed his dark brown hair and put his hands on his lap as he saw the prosecuting lawyer get her things together for his questioning.

Once the lawyer was ready, she stood up straight and addressed the court room. Matthew quickly glanced at his family that sat near the back of the room. His mom, Lorraine, tended to her other five small children as Violet looked to be the only one paying attention or even caring what happened to him. She gave him eye contact and smiled hopefully.

"To the jury, judge, and assembly: this is a juvenile case regarding sixteen year old Matthew David Negan who was involved in an armed robbery at the local pharmacy in town. Matthew has pled not guilty. People of the court, whether he is of age or not, we as the justice system need to see to it that this young man gets the proper punishment where he can eventually learn his mistakes and make better decisions for his life. That is what is on the line." She said and then addressed Matthew.

"Matthew, where were you on February 3 of this year at 9:04 P.M.?" She asked.

He cleared his throat and spoke up. "I walked into the pharmacy with a gun." He said in a somewhat rehearsed manner as he went over this with his lawyer multiple times. It was devoid of any emotion as he recounted the memory in his head.

"Does the gun belong to you?" She asked.

Matthew nodded. "It's a BB gun. I got it for Christmas from my stepdad five years ago." He explained honestly.

"Did you have any intention of hurting anyone before or during the robbery?" She asked.

"No, ma'am." He said. "I just wanted some medication."

"My records indicate that you were looking for specific medication called misoprostol. Were you aware that pharmacies in the U.S.A. do not sell misoprostol?" She asked.

"Would I have robbed a pharmacy if I had known that?" He fired back with his temper slipping away. Some members of the jury stifled a laugh at his blunt honesty.

"It was just a question Mr. Negan. Why were you looking for misoprostol in the first place?" She asked.

Matthew looked to his sister then gazed down at his lap. "My sister needed it." He said.

"Out of curiosity, where did you hear about misoprostol?" The lawyer asked.

"I heard them talking about it on the news." Matthew explained.

"And do you know what misoprostol is for?" She inquired further.

"They are abortion pills." Matthew said.

Violet stared down at the floor as her mom looked on as she shook her head at the whole situation. Matthew knew this was the last thing that his mom wanted to see her two older children be a part of. He could tell she was humiliated by their behavior with Violet being pregnant at fifteen and himself being a felon at sixteen. He felt a small tremor of guilt wash over him but held at bay as it needed to be the last thing he should have thought about while on trial.

The lawyer lady looked to the jury with a rehearsed smile. She placed a hand to her heart and cleared her throat and looked to Matthew again. "But you said that you had no intention of killing someone. I'm afraid that you are contradicting yourself." The lawyer said.

"Yeah. How so?" Matthew said as cool as he could but the anger rose regardless.

"Abortion pills don't really value life." The lawyer stated.

"Objection!" Matthew's lawyer named Scott Hadley stated at his desk that sat in front of his family. "Strike that comment from the record. His sister was in her first trimester during the incident and we already stated that misoprostol wasn't even sold at the pharmacy. The comment and her direction of argument is irrelevant."

"It is stricken from the record." The judge said. "Proceed, Miss Jacobs."

The lawyer named Miss Jacobs nodded. "I apologize, your honor. However, I do have a point that is relevant." She walked up close to Matthew and looked him in the eye. "You could _say_ that you had no intention of hurting anyone in that pharmacy but the evidence is that you brought something to _hurt_ someone. Are we supposed to take your word that it was only a threat?"

"I swore on the Holy Bible, didn't I?" Matthew muttered quietly.

"What was that, Matthew?" Miss Jacobs asked. "I didn't hear your answer."

"I said, 'yeah.'" Matthew said with as pleasant of a smile as he could muster no matter if it came across as fake. It mostly was. He didn't like Miss Jacobs one bit.

"Why do you plead not guilty?" Miss Jacobs asked.

Matthew looked to his sister as she stared at him back. "Because my sister needed help and I did what I could to help her." He reasoned.

"You know there are limitations to how much you can help a person." Miss Jacobs said.

 _Limitations,_ Matthew thought as the word almost made him visibly cringe. He hated the word and people used it often to describe his capabilities especially in school and sports.

Miss Jacobs gave him a half smile and then looked to the jury. "I have no further questions for now, your honor." She said and nodded to the jury, judge, and Matthew.

…

The trial lasted no longer than a day. The jury had reached a unanimous decision as Matthew sat on his chair in front of his family. The judge asked everyone to listen to Matthew's fate and everyone stood up and waited.

His lawyer patted him on the shoulder as another hand reached his other shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Matt." He heard his sister say.

"You and I both." Matthew muttered and straightened his tie as he looked to the jury.

One man in the jury stood up and faced the judge. "Your honor, we find Matthew David Negan guilty on one count of first degree robbery."

Dejected, Matthew looked to the ground and mentally saw more limitations flying his direction. With his grades being average, he relied on a sports scholarship to go to college. He knew that no one was going to accept him by already being a felon before he even graduated. He wasn't sure what his punishment would be but knew that he would have to serve some time in juvenile prison.

"Oh, son." He heard his mom say behind him with sympathy and disappointment interwoven together. The words and statement cut deep as he tried to ignore her. He could hear Violet crying uncontrollably but didn't look behind him to try and tell her it was going to be okay. He didn't even know if that was the case.

Matthew slowly sat down and stared blankly at the wall behind the judge. He didn't enjoy trying to steal from a pharmacy. It was something that he knew had to be done. He didn't understand why the law wouldn't bend to hear his plea. He had a good reason. His family was poor since his dad died years ago. They wouldn't be able to afford misoprostol let alone another child that no doubt his mom would take care of. Violet always got good grades and Matthew knew her future was on the line for when they both were able to finally get out of their house and live their own separate lives. 

But then Violet got knocked up by her boyfriend who subsequently dumped her soon after. Matthew covered his face and took his gun to the pharmacy the next night. Now they both were going to die a slow death due to Violet's baby.

 _Limitations,_ Matthew thought to himself and huffed out a breath. He grinded his teeth and hoped that whatever lesson he was supposed to learn would be quick. There was so much that he didn't understand when it came to consequences to his actions. For fulfilling a noble service to someone he cared about, he thought that he was being punished an awful lot for it. Almost too much then he thought he deserved.

As he felt his future fall away an anger filled with regret took its place. It boiled inside of him as he worried about his life looked like ahead of him. There was nothing optimal. He saw nothing working in his favor. It was hopeless.


End file.
